[Icom] Took the plunge-initial impressions of the T2H sport

[Timothy-Allen Albertson]

Ive dropped my T2H, which was my first rig after
being,
more than once.  It will take abuse. 73 de timk g6irh.
--- John Geiger <johngeig@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Took the plunge and decided to get the Icom T2H
> sport,
> based on reports from these reflectors.  Also based
> on
> price-found a demo unit from AES Cleveland for
> $84.94
> shipped.  What a deal for a new HT, complete with 1
> year warranty, etc.
> 
> The box came monday, after a weekend of
> anticipation. 
> After opening it, my enthusiasm waned some.  It
> looked
> like a $85 HT.  The HT seemed to be made out of
> cheap,
> light plastic that would never stand up to abuse. 
> How
> did this thing get a Mil Spec rating?  For the Iraqi
> army?  Worse yet, the battery case had no cover! 
> The
> cells just lay in their.  I was planning to get
> another case and use it as a spare carry along
> battery.  Well that would never work, the cells
> would
> fall out.  I was disappointed and planned on sending
> the T2H back or selling it.  Wonder if anyone else
> had
> the same first impression.
> 
> Then I tried it out-and it performs outstanding! 
> Everyone on the local repeater says it is the best
> sounding HT I have had yet, and that is with 1 watt.
> They all say "Keep it, you are actually solid into
> the
> repeater all of the time now."  When I rarely go to
> 6
> watts it really kicks butt!  Non QRP level on an HT!
> 
> I do alot of bicycle mobile, and the audio out level
> is perfect for overcoming road noise.  It is also
> nice
> to have the HI/LO power and LOCK features are
> accessible by pushing a single button, important
> when
> you are riding on a bicycle.  Seems very resistent
> to
> intermod.  I even solved the battery case problem by
> running a couple of strips of electrical tape the
> length of the case, over the batteries.  You cannot
> see it from the outside, but it holds the cells in,
> and even makes the battery case fit a little more
> securely on the HT.  
> 
> A funny thing has happened.  Since that initial
> impression upon opening the box, the plastic appears
> more solid.  The appearance keeps getting better and
> better, and I like this HT more and more.  I will
> get
> another battery case and use more electrical tape. 
> No
> I will not send it back to AES. The T2H is great. 
> Great performance, just the right number of
> features,
> and almost the perfect size.  A little shorter and
> thinner would be nice, but it still fits in shirt
> and
> coat pockets just fine.  For less that $85 bucks
> shipped this was a steel.  I am really coming to
> love
> this HT.
> 
> If you need a good, inexpensive, well performing HT,
> here you go.  Wonder if anyone else has had such a
> wide range of impressions as I have to the T2H?
> Thanks for letting me ramble, just wanted everyone
> to
> know you can't always judge an HT by your initial
> impression. After all, isn't performance more
> important that appearance anyway?
> 73s John NE0P
> 
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